In China’s arid, mountainous northwest, a devastating series of flash floods has claimed 10 lives and left 33 people missing. President Xi Jinping has ordered an “all-out” rescue effort in the wake of the disaster, which was triggered by exceptionally heavy rain in Gansu province’s Yuzhong county.
The torrential downpours, which began Thursday evening, were so severe that one mountainous area received 195mm of rain—about half of its typical yearly total—in just a few hours. This extreme weather event has left approximately 4,000 people stranded and underscored the region’s vulnerability to landslides and flooding, as the area’s loose loess soil becomes unstable when saturated.
Xi Jinping Demands Action Amid Extreme Weather Crisis
The response to the Gansu floods is being led from the highest levels of the Chinese government. Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that the “top priority” is to “make every possible effort to search for and rescue missing people, relocate and resettle people under threat, minimize casualties, and restore communications and transportation as quickly as possible,” according to state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).
His directive highlights the urgency of the situation and the scale of the disaster. Xi also issued a stern warning to local governments, urging them to avoid “complacency and carelessness” given the recent surge in extreme weather events across the country. This warning reflects a national concern over the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters.
China’s Growing Climate Challenges and Disaster Relief Funding
The Yuzhong flash floods are the latest in a series of deadly weather events to hit China. Since late July, heavy rains and flooding have been responsible for at least 60 deaths across northern China, including the capital city of Beijing.
These events, which meteorologists are linking to climate change, pose a significant and growing challenge to the nation’s infrastructure and population. To support the Yuzhong rescue efforts, China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced it has allocated 100 million yuan ($13.92 million) in emergency funding.
This latest allocation is part of a broader commitment, with China having already announced at least 6 billion yuan in disaster relief funding since April to help provinces cope with the economic and human costs of these intensifying natural disasters.
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/xi-orders-all-out-rescue-floods-kill-10-northwest-china-2025-08-08/?taid=68960c4c7c47c500014b9066&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
